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California Pacific

79 min • 1 juni 2022

TCW Podcast Episode 163 - California Pacific

We look at the company California Pacific. Founded by Al Remmers the company played a large role in launching the careers of Bill Budge and Richard Garriott. Al Remmers was in a unique position as a publisher. He had contacts with retailers spanning the entire country. In a way California Pacific was both one of the first distributors and used the EA model of programmers as rock stars. Promoting the games made by talented people, and promoting the individuals themselves. Unfortunately California Pacific had a too high royalty to those same programmers, and once dedicated distribution companies started to take over business declined. Al Remmers struggled with delegation, and unfortunately he developed a drug addiction. Though not well known today California Pacific did play a vital role during a crucial stage of the computer video game industry.

A little Energon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy_6yo04Hjc

Overview of the S100 BUS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVblKM9bJxA

Super Invader/Apple Invader: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNSFD7mC-Oo

Bill Budge's Trilogy of Games: https://archive.org/details/wozaday_Bill_Budge_Trilogy

Picture of the packaging: https://web.archive.org/web/20220530014930/https://www.ebay.com/itm/203822308767
Bill Budge's Space Album: https://archive.org/details/wozaday_Bill_Budge_Space_Album

Akalabeth: https://archive.org/details/Akalabeth_1980_California_Pacific_Computer
World Od Doom Akalabeth Packaging: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/apple-ii-akalabeth-world-doom-1889507320

Who is Lord British: http://www.softalkapple.com/more_to_the_story/remember-when-softalk-asked-who-lord-british
Ultima 1: https://archive.org/details/Ultima_I_1981_California_Pacific_Computer

New episodes on the 1st and 15th of every month!

TCW Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @tcwpodcast

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds

Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com